Leigh's process of using a lot of improv as well as withholding key character information from his actors is talked about a great deal. It's sort of Leigh's trademark. This process is used to great effect in this emotionally draining film. However, to me the key Leigh decision has to do with his camera.
For whatever reason Leigh loves to keep his camera still and his scenes uncluttered. The clearest example of this is how the first meeting of the adopted daughter and the birth mother is done basically as a single shot and take. The film has multiple deeply emotional moments filmed in medium shot with no master cutting and largely in a single take. This style-for lack of a better word-really gives a film a great intimacy and through that poignancy.
The film is-at is core-a mere domestic drama. But through the skill of the actors and Leigh's commitments to authenticity this film is so much more than its story. It is a great film from the 90's that is timeless.
For whatever reason Leigh loves to keep his camera still and his scenes uncluttered. The clearest example of this is how the first meeting of the adopted daughter and the birth mother is done basically as a single shot and take. The film has multiple deeply emotional moments filmed in medium shot with no master cutting and largely in a single take. This style-for lack of a better word-really gives a film a great intimacy and through that poignancy.
The film is-at is core-a mere domestic drama. But through the skill of the actors and Leigh's commitments to authenticity this film is so much more than its story. It is a great film from the 90's that is timeless.